Rob Dillingham

[FNG]

Since I am an unabashed advocate for the defensive side of the ball, some of you may be surprised at how much I like this pick. But how can you not like acquiring the arguably best available bucket getter in the draft in exchange for pick considerations that don't happen until next decade? This seems like a home run pick for TC.

Kentucky fans talk about The Rob Dillingham Experience, and we are about to experience it...moments of brilliance with a sprinkling of baffling out-of-controlness. Calipari obviously loves the guy, but the video of him biting his own hand on the sidelines after a particularly ill-advised pass is an example of moments we all are going to have as this guy matures. But it's always going to be exciting. He is a true (perhaps unstoppable) 3-way scorer...excellent 3-point shooter, an uncanny ability to get to the hoop and avoid blocks when he gets there, and a nice floater. And fearless. I can't help but see some Allen Iverson in him, with of course a better 3-point shot...the lack of size combined with an ability to get a shot off at any time.

Is he a PG? We don't really know. With Shephard handling the PG duties, Rob only started one game, and mainly played the role of a microwave scorer off the bench. But TC dismisses the question with a strong "yes, he is a PG". His role with the Wolves will primarily if not solely be as a scorer off the bench as long as Mike is playing. And I even expect Morris to get most of the backup PG minutes next year. But I do think TC looks at Rob as the coveted "point guard of the future" this board has been clamoring for. But we need to be ready for some head-scratching passes to nobody that are going to occur from time to time.

Then, there's his defense. He is remarkably small, and will be targeted and bullied unless or until he can get stronger. I really don't want him to be a poor man's Trae Young. He will have some of the same size problems Trae has. I hope though that his interest in playing defense is better than Trae's. If he is coachable and motivated, his quickness could eventually turn out to be an asset on the defensive side of the ball. But there are certainly going to be some painful moments as we watch him get targeted.

Finally, there is his personality. Someone said last night that post-game pressers with Rob and Ant are going to be must-see TV. I agree. He is quickly going to become a fan favorite with his big smile and magnetic personality. He's from Hickory North Carolina, so there's already a little southern rural Ant in him.

Driving home and hearing on the radio that we had traded for the 8th pick, I assumed the cost would be at least Naz and picks. To hear that the actual costs might happen after I'm no longer on this planet was a huge surprise. TC does it again. I think the Rob Dillingham Experience is going to be a lot of fun!

[Carlos Danger]

[FNG]

I'm bumping the Rob Dillingham thread I teed up thursday for the sole purpose of moving it above Lip's for a moment .

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/v ... tion=click

[Lipoli390]

I'm bumping the Rob Dillingham thread I teed up thursday for the sole purpose of moving it above Lip's for a moment .

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/v ... tion=click

lol. How could I have missed this??!!

[Lipoli390]

I'm bumping the Rob Dillingham thread I teed up thursday for the sole purpose of moving it above Lip's for a moment .

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/v ... tion=click

lol. How could I have missed this??!! By the way, that is one of my all time favorite movies and that might be the funniest scene in movie history!

[FNG]

I'm bumping the Rob Dillingham thread I teed up thursday for the sole purpose of moving it above Lip's for a moment .

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/v ... tion=click

lol. How could I have missed this??!! By the way, that is one of my all time favorite movies and that might be the funniest scene in movie history!

It's a great scene, and I've never had the opportunity to use it in a thread!

Glad to hear you're going to Vegas this summer, Lip. We have another trip scheduled around the same time this summer, so we aren't going. I agree it should be a fun team to watch though!

[Sundog]

I’m old (63!) so when I look at Dillingham, I see Allan fucking Iverson with a bit of Tiny Archibald thrown in. Go look at highlights of those guys and tell me you don’t see it too!

And you know who agrees with me? The Answer himself:

https://www.on3.com/teams/kentucky-wild ... n-iverson/

[FNG]

I’m old (63!) so when I look at Dillingham, I see Allan fucking Iverson with a bit of Tiny Archibald thrown in. Go look at highlights of those guys and tell me you don’t see it too!

And you know who agrees with me? The Answer himself:

https://www.on3.com/teams/kentucky-wild ... n-iverson/

Yeah, I made the Iverson comparison in my original post...albeit with a better 3-point shot. Look at their comparative stats their freshman years (per 40 minutes):

Iverson: 25.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 39 FG%, 23 3-point%
Dillingham: 26.1 5 6.6 47.5 44.4

Iverson got to the line much more frequently, but Rob is the far better free throw shooter. And Iverson turned the ball over 5.5 times per 40 minutes, while Rob (with the reputation of not always being careful with the ball) only 3.4.

They're both small, but Iverson could be a disruptive defender as demonstrated by his steals advantage over Rob.

But I think we're both making the comparison not because of stats (which favor Rob) but because of playing style. The jitterbug drive and dribble style makes (made) it difficult for a defender to stay in front of either. And I think Rob's 3-point prowess gives him an advantage over Iverson in getting past his defender.

Iverson was an exciting player to watch, and while I don't think Rob will ever be as effective a defender, I expect him to be a much more efficient scorer. He's going to be fun to watch!

[Sundog]

Now that you mention it, I see that in your original post:

“I can't help but see some Allen Iverson in him, with of course a better 3-point shot...the lack of size combined with an ability to get a shot off at any time.”

I agree! And it’s cool that AI himself sees the comp!

[Coolbreeze44]

In college, Iverson was a hek of a defender. That's the big difference between the two.